Seven Seas Bait and Tackle's final dock party of season Sunday to feature blues guitarist RJ Howson

May 15, 2018

This Sunday, May 20, from 1-5 p.m., RJ Howson "and Friends" are performing at Seven Seas Bait and Tackle. Howson is one of the premier blues guitarists in the country.

"I encourage people to come by boat," Seven Seas Bait and Tackle owner Jim Frock said. "There's very little parking and this is a great excuse to get out on the beautiful waters of Pine Island and Matlacha.

"This should be a very exciting show," Frock said. "Berry Duane Oakley is the son of Allman Brothers band founder Berry Oakley. Berry junior will join RJ as one of his 'friends' here delivering a combination of country and blues to our dock."

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Noted blues guitarist RJ Howson.

Kicking off his career in the Chicago blues clubs, Howson picked up his guitar skills by sharing the stage with blues icons at Buddy Guy's Legends the premier blues club in the world.

Howson has continued the blues tradition since moving to Florida with openers for Butch Trucks & the Freight Train Band, Dickey Betts & Great Southern, the Atlanta Rhythm Section, Molly Hatchet, Buddy Guy and a host of legendary musicians.

Howson grew up as the son of a Vietnam veteran/musician and a farmer's daughter/poet and travelled the world as a child and teen. Since locating to Florida, he has been busy playing a steady stream of shows at festivals, theaters and clubs all over Florida including the Giving Hunger the Blues Festival, Camping with the Blues Festival, Sun Coast Blues Festival and many more.

"I was also inspired by sitarist Ravi Shankar, jazz guitar legend Wes Montgomery, jazz and world music banjo great Bela Fleck, Merle Travis, Chet Atkins and many other great finger pickers," Howson said.

The show at Seven Seas is sandwiched between performances at Gilligan's in Sarasota and The Barrel Room in Fort Myers.

"I'm very excited to have RJ and Berry Jr. here," Frock said. "RJ Howson has been around a long, long time and knows just about everybody in the business there's no telling who among his friends might join him here in Matlacha.

"These dock parties are just a great way to have a party, use your boat and avoid the traffic," Frock said. "I pay for the band but donations are welcome to help defray the costs."

Seven Seas Bait and Tackle is at 4270 Pine Island Road, N.W., Matlacha, FL 33993. For more about the business, call 239-283-1674.